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Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Four days remained until the execution of "Fire Fist" Ace.
The entire fortress was saturated with the tense atmosphere of impending war.
Countless Marine vessels converged from across the seas, their hulls crowding the harbor until warships packed the docks shoulder to shoulder.
Activity around the execution platform reached a fever pitch. The clatter of weapons and equipment being tested echoed through the air alongside the sounds of terrain modifications and mechanism installations. More than a dozen giant Vice Admirals stood beside the headquarters building like towering statues, their mere presence radiating overwhelming authority.
Inside the headquarters building, a young Marine burst through the door, his hurried footsteps echoing loudly in the corridor.
"Report to the Fleet Admiral. The port area of Islands 53 and 54 in the Sabaody Archipelago was attacked by an unknown explosive device. A slave ship belonging to the Celestial Dragons has been destroyed."
"What?"
Upon hearing the news, Fleet Admiral Sengoku shot up from his office chair.
'The Sabaody Archipelago. The Celestial Dragons again…'
'Could it be Garp's grandson causing trouble once more?'
The thought of the troublesome Monkey family made Sengoku's eyelids twitch with irritation. He cast a fierce glare toward the sofa.
There sat the Marine Hero Garp in his usual carefree manner.
When Garp noticed Sengoku looking at him, his expression instantly became serious.
For a brief moment, his bearing actually resembled that of the legendary Marine Hero.
Sengoku studied him for a long moment.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Garp suddenly grabbed the snack bag and opened it, pouring every last senbei into his mouth with a series of loud crunches.
'Stealing my food!'
Veins bulged on Sengoku's forehead as his fists clenched involuntarily.
However, after decades of working together, such scenes had become routine. He'd grown almost accustomed to the anger, and at present, this level of provocation wasn't enough to make him lose control.
Besides, Garp was actually the more normal one in this office.
Another figure occupied the opposite sofa, doing absolutely nothing. The man's afro bobbed gently as he reclined with his legs crossed. A black eye mask covered his eyes, his chest rising and falling with the steady rhythm of deep sleep, accompanied by faint snoring.
Near the window where sunlight streamed in sat another questionable character. The old man wore orange-tinted sunglasses and maintained an upright posture with his legs crossed as he openly perused what appeared to be either a newspaper or a magazine. Occasional chuckles escaped from him.
Sengoku sighed deeply and redirected his attention to the young Marine awaiting further instruction.
"Are the Celestial Dragons unharmed?"
"Yes, sir. The destroyed vessel was merely a slave ship dispatched to the Four Blues to acquire slaves for the Celestial Dragons. Only subordinates working for the Celestial Dragons and captured slaves were aboard."
Hearing this, Sengoku's furrowed brow relaxed slightly as relief washed through him.
'At least the Celestial Dragons are safe. That means I won't need to dispatch another Admiral.'
"What a shame."
A disappointed sigh suddenly echoed through the office. Sengoku didn't need to guess who'd spoken. Ignoring the man who clearly took pleasure in others' misfortune, he continued addressing the young Marine.
"Provide me with a detailed account of what transpired."
"Yes, sir. According to the intelligence we've gathered thus far, the perpetrators are two young girls, both appearing to be in their early teens. They threw numerous explosive devices into the sea using some unknown ability, destroying the Celestial Dragon slave ship that happened to be docking at that moment."
"The vessel was blown to pieces, though casualties were surprisingly minimal. Apart from a few who drowned, most survivors managed to swim ashore. However, more than half the slaves escaped during the chaos. This is what has angered the Celestial Dragons most."
As he spoke, the young Marine respectfully presented a classified report.
Sengoku accepted the document and scanned its contents carefully. The information largely matched what the guy had just relayed, though it included additional details about the suspects.
"Small stature, long pointed ears, and ability to generate fire from nothing."
Another fire-related ability.
The similarity to their "target" scheduled to appear in a few days wasn't lost on him.
Sengoku contemplated this for a moment before asking, "Did anyone manage to photograph them?"
"No, sir. This information came from a local fisherman. He stated that he was preparing to go fishing when he suddenly noticed two young girls standing on the beach. One had white hair, the other orange hair."
"Orange hair?" Kizaru's voice carried a note of genuine surprise.
"What is it, Borsalino? Do you know something?" Sengoku looked at him with curiosity. He rarely witnessed such an expression on Kizaru's typically impassive face.
"I simply recalled two intriguing young people I encountered in the Sabaody Archipelago. Their hair happened to be orange."
Kizaru stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Though his eyes remained fixed on the magazine in his hands and his demeanor suggested indifference, his mind worked rapidly.
'The one with orange hair is most likely Kagura, who's been accompanying Kyoma. As for the other girl with white hair, I haven't seen her before.'
'She might be another newcomer with exceptional potential.'
The thought stirred his interest.
If he weren't required at Marineford for the upcoming execution, he would have returned to the Sabaody Archipelago to visit Kyoma's residence immediately.
"Oh? There aren't many young people you'd call intriguing. Why didn't you bring them back to the Headquarters?"
Sengoku seemed genuinely surprised.
Given how selective these Admirals typically were, it was rare for any of them to take an interest in anyone. That Kizaru had encountered two such individuals during a single mission and failed to recruit them despite his position was unusual.
"There's no helping it. They showed absolutely no interest in becoming Marines. You can't exactly force someone to join, can you?" Kizaru spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
Sengoku found himself at a loss for words.
He gestured for the young Marine, who'd been patiently waiting through the interruption, to continue.
"Just as the fisherman was about to approach and suggest they play elsewhere, the girl with white hair suddenly shouted something about 'Jumpy Dumpty' while her entire body became engulfed in flames. She threw numerous burning bombs that resembled dolls, and then... the Celestial Dragon slave ship was blown into the sky."
"Jumpy... Dumpty?"
'Is this a Devil Fruit ability?' Sengoku's expression showed his confusion.
****
Meanwhile, in the Sabaody Archipelago.
The sun descended, casting dim light across an area where two figures stood. An elderly man gripped a wooden staff, while a young man sat on the ground, his eyes covered by a blindfold.
Wind whistled past.
The staff in the gray-haired man's hands carried a wave of compressed air as it traced an elegant arc through space. The weapon shot toward the seated youth with sharp momentum.
When the whistling sound reached him, the blindfolded young man's ears twitched slightly. Sensing the approaching danger, his body leaned backward immediately.
But he was still a fraction too slow.
Crack!
The staff connected with the side of the young man's face. His skin compressed from the impact as he launched backward like a released spring.
"What a pity. You were so close that time."
The old man lowered his staff and stood observing the young man now lying beneath a large tree, his voice carrying genuine regret.
"Yes, close to being killed."
Kyoma struggled up from the ground with considerable difficulty.
He sat with his back against the tree trunk, gasping for breath while covering his nose, which bled from his face-first landing.